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White and flaky, richly smoked or coated in crispy crumbs - fish is not only delicious, it’s also rich in vitamins and healthy fats. We’re offering all myWaitrose members 20% off all our fish from the fish counter, in store, every Friday. Shopping this offer online? Simply select any Friday as your delivery/collection date. So take your pick and find inspiration with our delicious recipes and expert advice on buying and cooking fish from top fish chef Nathan Outlaw.

Nathan’s top tips on buying & cooking fish:

Use your senses

Check fish scales are intact. If they are coming off, the fish may have been over-handled. Look for shiny fish with bright eyes, not cloudy or glazed over. Fresh fish will have that lovely smell of the sea. If there’s a fishy, unpleasant odour that means it’s old. Flat fish, such as plaice or Dover sole, may feel slimy but this is a good sign that it’s fresh. Wash it with cold water before cooking.

Steam fish for a health boost

The best way to cook fresh fish is by steaming it. It’s a low fat cooking method and means you keep all the nutrients in the cooking juices.

Use tin foil to make a little bag for a 150g piece of white fish (cod, pollock, haddock or hake). Add liquid (fish stock or wine), then seal it up, put it into hot oven and it will steam in about 5 or 6 minutes. It can sit and rest in its bag while you get everything ready.

For me, the best way to get my weekly dose of oily fish is by grilling mackerel – it’s my favourite fish. Ask your fishmonger to fillet it. Rub a bit of olive oil on the dry fish, then grill for around 2 minutes on each side. Simple!

One fish, 2 meals

It’s better to buy less, buy quality and do more with it. I like to make Asian fish soup from the scraps. Even if the Waitrose fishmonger fillets a fish for you, you can ask to keep the head and bones. Simmer these for half an hour with water, shallots and chilli. Add noodles, veg and pieces of frozen fish for a flavourful meal.

Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6. Put 2 halved, deseeded red peppers, 4 halved tomatoes and 1 garlic bulb with the top sliced off on a foil-lined roasting tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, season, and roast for 30 minutes. Toss 30g crustless, torn white bread with ½ tbsp olive oil and put on another tray with 20g blanched hazelnuts and 20g blanched almonds; roast for 10 minutes. Take both trays out of the oven and set aside to cool. Remove and discard the skin from the peppers and tomatoes. Blitz the nuts in a food processor until roughly chopped; add the tomato and pepper, bread, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar. Squeeze in the garlic cloves, discarding the skin; blitz to a smooth sauce.

A great accompaniment for delicate white fish such as ray wings. Serves 2; takes 5 minutes. Melt 40g unsalted butter in a pan. When foaming, add 1 tbsp rinsed salted capers and squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon. Cook for 1 minute, until the butter is golden and smells nutty.

Light tartare sauce

A lighter version of a classic that works well with all fish. Serves 4; takes 5 minutes. Mix 125g half-fat crème fraîche with 2 tsp capers, 2 chopped cornichons, the juice of ½ lemon and 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley.

TabascoAdd just a drop or two to oysters for a fiery kick.

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Treading lightly

Waitrose & Partners stocks only responsibly caught or farmed fish that pass a rigorous check list, such as minimising by-catch of vunerable species and discards

Offer valid every Friday on all fish from the fish counter. Can be used in conjunction with other promotions where stated. Subject to availability. Offer valid in UK mainland and Channel Island Waitrose stores. Available online at waitrose.com only for Friday delivery slots. Excludes motorway service stations, Welcome Break and petrol stations.